Battle Plans and Wedding Days
by TARDIS-set-adrift
Summary: Second in The Broken Girl series. Amy and the Doctor once again pay Aderyn a visit. But the relaxing trip the Doctor had intended doesn't go to plan when the Pandorica opens. But can they survive when promises are broken, feelings unravel and the universe falls apart around them? COMPLETE.
1. Unexpected Guests

**So this is the second in The Broken Girl series (The Broken Girl was the first part).**

 **SUMMARY: Amy has lost her Rory, but she can't remember him. The Doctor and Amy go to visit Aderyn once again. The Doctor has a relaxing trip planned. But when is anything relaxing with the Doctor? Especially when River Song is involved. But will they all survive when promises are broke, feelings unravel and the universe falls apart around them?**

 **I do NOT own Doctor Who or it's characters.**

* * *

The Doctor looked at the engagement ring. He felt sorry for Amy. She had found true happiness and love and now she couldn't even remember him.

He closed the ring box. It had only been a few months since Rory had been consumed by the time energy, but still the Doctor felt guilty about it. It was always the way with him. He got people into dangerous situations and not everyone walked out of it. Admittedly, if Rory hadn't been there then the shot fired by the Silurian would have killed him. But that just made it worse.

He heard Amy walking along a corridor and tucked the ring box back into his jacket pocket.

"Good morning." he said brightly as Amy walked down the stairs. She mumbled something that faintly resembled "morning."

"Another day. Another adventure?" he asked her.

"Hang on, let me wake up a bit first," she yawned. "Not everyone is as full of energy as you first thing in the morning." He smiled at her sadly.

"What?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Where are we going anyway?"

"Well, I thought we could go and see how Aderyn is doing. Then go somewhere relaxing." he said. He'd already set their course and he pressed a button. The TARDIS engines whirred happily into life.

"Sounds good. But since when have you ever done anything relaxing?"

The Doctor shrugged "just thought it would make a nice change from running around all the time."

Amy sat and watched the Doctor. He was being suspiciously nice to her. Ever since they had the encounter with the Silurian, he'd tried to avoid drama. Not that he could ever do that. Despite his attempts they had met Vincent Van Gough and battled the Krafayis and she'd been trapped in the TARDIS while the Doctor stopped an alien ship from killing people. But this was an actual attempt to avoid all of that. She knew it wouldn't be relaxing, this was the Doctor after all. But she was still deeply suspicious.

* * *

Aderyn threw nervous looks down the street. She had the feeling she was being watched and she didn't like it. But every time she looked, there was nothing there. The only thing she had seen was a stone statue that cast a fearsome shadow. She now regretted deciding to walk back instead of getting a taxi. She lived out of town and, although usually not worried about walking in the dark, the past few nights, she had felt someone watching her.

She'd just come back from a dinner meeting with an important publisher. It hadn't gone well. It had been yet another publisher to laugh at her manuscript. This hadn't put her in the best mood. And this constant feeling was starting to bother her. Whoever was following would soon discover it wasn't the best idea to mess with her today.

She was relieved when she reached her drive way. She had moved away from her parents a year ago and had found a nice cottage just outside a pleasant village. Her car had been wrecked by a drunk driver in the nearest town, so she'd been relying on the buses and taxis to get her to and from her meetings in London. The walk from the town back to the village was usually quite pleasant, but in the chill of the night air it felt like a walk into Hell.

When she reached her front door she felt uneasy. Something wasn't right. She unlocked the door and pushed it open slowly. The kitchen light was on. She had left at midday so she knew she hadn't put it on that day. Only the hall light should have been on. But it was now off. As she passed a small table in the hall, she stopped to pick up a heavy bat that was leaning against it.

She could hear voices in the kitchen. If she hadn't have been so on edge she would have recognised the voices. When one voice shushed the other she stopped walking. She could hear the kettle boiling and the gentle thud as someone put a mug down on the table.

From where she was stood she could only see a small part of the kitchen, the dark oak door blocking her view of the rest of it.

A head poked around the door "Oh hello, I was wandering when you'd be back. Would you like some tea?"

Aderyn lowered the bat and sighed "I could have killed you." she said walking into the kitchen.

"Nah you wouldn't have." the Doctor said as Aderyn entered the kitchen. She threw her bag onto the side and saw Amy sat at the Table.

"This house is amazing," Amy said "Nice to see you got away from London."

"Thanks. It's definitely a step up for me," Aderyn sat at the table. "You could have warned me you'd be dropping by." She said to the Doctor as he handed her a cup of tea.

"Where's the fun in that?" he replied.

"If risking being hit over the head with a bat is fun then I believe we have very different definitions." Aderyn smiled.

"Sarcastic as always." Amy laughed.

Aderyn raised her mug as if to make a toast "That's me." she said.


	2. Who's The Lucky Lady?

Aderyn couldn't hide the fact she was glad to see the Doctor. It had been a while since she'd last seen him. She was happy he was still travelling with Amy. As they talked she could see that he really cared about her. But that was what the Doctor did. He got attached to people too quickly. She often wondered why the Doctor kept coming back to her. He was always there when he needed her. Always. And still she didn't understand why. There was nothing special about her. She was always grateful to have him around. He had always acted like a parent to her. When he was there she felt like someone actually cared about her. He had saved her life more times then she cared to mention. He had shown her what was out there amongst the stars and had given her a new way of looking at the world. But above all, he had given her hope. Hope that there really was something worth living for.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she realised the Doctor was talking to her.

"Sorry?" she said.

"I said, what have you been up to then?" the Doctor said patiently.

"Oh right, sorry I'd been in a world of my own," she said "well I've not really been up to much. Been writing mainly. I had a meeting with a publisher in London tonight, that's where I was, but it really didn't go well."

"What have you been writing?" Amy asked with interest.

"Oh nothing interesting, just some science fiction nonsense." She said quickly.

"I can imagine you being amazing at that. What's it about?" Amy said.

Aderyn shrugged "Oh nothing interesting. Just the usual crap that goes into science fiction; aliens, travelling through space, amazing planets."

"You haven't just been writing have you? You've been up to something." The Doctor said, he looked at her over his mug. He gave her _that_ look. That looked he gave her when he was being fatherly and could see through her attempts to hide information from him.

"No you're right. I had a date. Well a few of them actually" Aderyn said slowly. She knew he would get the information out of her sooner or later so she might as well have dived straight into it.

He clapped like an excited child "Give me details," he said "Who's the lucky lady?"

Amy choked on her tea and Aderyn paused, her mug half way to her lips. The Doctor shrugged "Oh come on it's obvious," he said "Just give me details."

"Well, she's smart, funny, beautiful." She said nervously.

"Sensible?" The Doctor asked.

Aderyn laughed "When the occasion calls for it."

"How long have you been seeing her?" Amy asked. Amy found herself feeling suddenly protective. She was resisting the urge to demand she meets this woman. She wanted to make sure, whoever this woman was, she would keep Aderyn safe.

"A few months. It's nothing serious. Well not yet anyway," she finished the last of her tea and looked at Amy "Don't give me that look. It's bad enough he's looking at me like that."

"Like what?" Amy asked, unaware she'd been giving Aderyn a look other than polite curiosity.

"It's that disapproving look," Aderyn laughed "So anyway, what have you two been doing?"

"Nothing interesting." The Doctor said.

"Rule number one: the Doctor lies," Aderyn replied "Amy, what have you been up to?"

Amy laughed "Made a deal with Silurians, met Vincent Van Gough. Oh and I got trapped in the TARDIS in the time vortex."

"Nothing interesting he says." Aderyn mumbled to Amy, who laughed again.

"We are planning to do something relaxing. Want to come with us?" The Doctor asked.

"Since when have you known how to relax?" Aderyn said.

"Are you coming or not?" The Doctor sighed.

"Oh course." Aderyn said.


	3. Hello, Darling

"So where are we going then?" Aderyn said, as her and Amy ran ahead of the Doctor into the TARDIS.

"I can't believe I didn't think of this before," The Doctor said "Planet One. The oldest planet in the universe. And there's a cliff of pure diamond, and according to legend, on the cliff there's writing. Letters fifty feet high. A message from the dawn of time And no one knows what it says, because no one's ever translated it. Until today." The Doctor did what he usually did. He leapt around the console, twirling happily as he set their course. Amy noticed how much happier the Doctor seemed with Aderyn there. It was almost as if he had a distraction. Amy would have to find a chance to talk to him about that. But she was glad Aderyn was there. It was strange to look at her now. The last time she had seen Aderyn, back when they climbed out of the wrecked star liner, she had been in her teens. And now Aderyn was clearly in her early twenties. She was still slim but her arms were toned and she had a few small tattoos on the top of one arm. Aderyn's brown hair had been long, but was now cut short. She looked less tired then She had last time Amy saw her. Time had been kind to Aderyn. Moving away from London had clearly been a good move.

"Oh yeah, and what happens today?" Aderyn said. She smiled at the Doctor's enthusiam.

"Us," He shouted over the noise of the TARDIS landing. He stood behind Amy and Aderyn, putting a hand on each of their shoulders and pushing them forward toward the doors. "The Tardis can translate anything. All we have to do is open the doors and read the very first words in recorded history."

He walked away from them, throwing open the doors with a flourish. The cliff loomed above them. They stared open mouthed at the letters carved into the ancient stone. "Hello, Darling." The letters read. There was coordinates etched in the stone beneath it.

Aderyn laughed.

"Not again." The Doctoor muttered.


	4. Hello, Sweetie

The TARDIS materialised. They were on a hill at the edge of a wood. There was a Roman Legion camp in the distance.

"Are we definitely in the right place?" Amy asked.

"Yes, I followed the coordinates. We are in 102 AD," The Doctor said. He scanned the horizon and spotted the Legion.

"Romans?" Aderyn said.

"That's a Roman Legion." Amy said, smiling.

"yeah, the Romans invaded Britain several times during this period." The Doctor told them. He frowned at the Legion. He couldn't possibly imagine what why he was needed here.

"Oh, I know," Amy said "My favourite topic at school. Invasion of the hot Italians. Yeah, I did get marked down for the title."

They heard a rattle as a Roman soldier ran up to them. He saluted then dropped to one knee.

"Hail Ceaser." he said. Aderyn and Amy looked at the Doctor, but he looked as confused as they were.

"Hail." the Doctor responded uncertainly.

The Roman stood up. Aderyn and the Doctor noticed a smear of lipstick across his face. That was all the confirmation the Doctor needed, he knew exactly who was behind this.

"Welcome to Britain. We are honoured by your presence," the Roman said "Cleopatra will see you now." he turned and walked towards the Legion camp.

They followed. When they reached a large tent, the Roman soldier held the tent flap open for them to walk through. When they went in, Aderyn grinned.

"Hello sweetie." She said to River, who was stretched out on a chaise lounge.

"River!" Amy exclaimed.

"You graffitied the oldest cliff face in the universe." The Doctor snapped.

"Or, "Hello," as people used to say," River said to him "But you didn't answer your phone. I had to get your attention somehow."

She dismissed the slaves that were in the tent. As soon as they were gone she handed the Doctor a roll of canvas.

"It's a painting from your friend Vincent. One of his final works. He had visions didn't he? I thought you ought to see this one."

The Doctor unrolled it and spread it out on a nearby table. Both his hearts skipped a beat. The painting was certainly a Vincent Van Gough, there was no mistaking the style. But the content of the painting worried him.

"Doctor, that's the TARDIS." Amy said, looking over his shoulder.

"Doctor, why is it exploding?" Aderyn said, looking over his other shoulder.

"I don't know. Its a message but it might not be that literal." The Doctor said quietly.

"This is where he wanted you. Look at the date and map reference on the door sign." River said.

"Does it have a title?" Aderyn asked.

"The Pandorica Opens." River told her.

"You will see me again when the Pandorica opens." Aderyn said under her breath.

"What was that?" River said.

"Spoilers." Aderyn replied.


	5. Not Designed For Horseriding

"What is the Pandorica?"Amy asked.

"It's a fairytale," The Doctor replied "Nothing more than a legend. It can't be real."

"If it's real then it's here somewhere, right?" Aderyn said tentatively.

"It'd be well hidden. It would be buried somewhere. You won't find it on any map." River said.

"What is the Pandorica?" Amy asked again.

"A box, a cage, a prison. It was built to contain the most feared thing in all the universe." The Doctor said, scanning a map.

"OK but lets face the facts here. If it is real, if it is buried here somewhere, then it's opening and it has something to do with the TARDIS exploding." Aderyn said. She stared down at the map the Doctor had been surveying.

"It may not be on a map but if you buried the most dangerous thing in the universe, you'd want to remember where you put it." He jabbed his finger at a point on the map.

"Are you sure?" River asked.

"There's only one way to find out." The Doctor smiled.

* * *

Riding horseback was definitely not Aderyn's favourite way to travel. The wind whipped her face as they rode and she could no longer feel her fingers. The sun was setting and the night would be cold. She was glad when they finally reached their destination. As she dismounted, in a less than graceful manner, she was certain she would be walking like John Wayne for a while.

She clumsily followed the Doctor and River into the stone circle.

"You really think it would be buried beneath Stonehenge?" Amy said "And how come it's not new?"

"It would have been here for thousands of years. No one knows how long" River said "What are you doing, Oz?" she turned to face Aderyn, who had been trying to stretch out her legs and adjust her jeans into a more comfortable position.

"Skinny jeans weren't designed for horse riding," Aderyn replied, wincing as she bent her knees "And neither was I." River rolled her eyes before turning her attention to the hand held scanner she had brought with her.

"Why did she call you Oz?" Amy asked.

"It's a nickname. My middle name is Oswin." Aderyn replied, giving up on trying to re-adjust her jeans.

"If the Pandorica is here, it contains the mightiest warrior in history. Now, half the galaxy would want a piece of that. Maybe even fight over it. We need to get down there." the Doctor said, walking around the stones.

"How?" Aderyn asked.

"Doctor, I'm picking up fry particles everywhere. Energy weapons have been discharged on this site." River said, slowly walking around with scanner in hand. No matter where she went, there was definite signs that they weren't the first ones here.


	6. Oi, Spaceman

River placed a small device on the Altar stone, she took a step back "Right then, ready?"

She didn't wait for an answer. She took a step forward again and pressed a button. There was the sound of machinery clanging and the Altar stone moved aside, revealing a staircase that lead into darkness.

"Why is it that I always end up descending into darkness when both of you are around?" she turned a sarcastic smile towards the Doctor and River. They both shrugged.

As they made their way down the stairs and towards the Pandorica chamber, they all failed to notice the severed head of a Cyberman nearby twitch as they walked passed it.

Aderyn picked up a torch from the floor, lighting it with a cigarette lighter she dug out of her pocket. She handed it to the Doctor before picking up a second and lighting that one as well.

There was a huge set of doors in front of them. A bar extended across it, sealing it. Between them, River and the Doctor lifted the bar and pushed the doors open.

In the chamber was a vast square monument, with circles and spirals on each face.

"The Pandorica," Aderyn breathed "it's more than just a fairytale."

"There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior. A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies," The Doctor said, cautiously approaching it "The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world."

"I hate to pick apart a good fairytale," Aderyn said "But if it's in the Pandorica then something stopped it. So how did it end up here?"

"Oh you know what fairytales are like. A good wizard tricked it." The Doctor said.

"I hate good wizards in fairytales, they always turn out to be him." River said. Aderyn and Amy stifled a laugh.

"So it's almost like Pandora's box then?" Amy said, walking in a large circle around the square.

"What?" The Doctor frowned.

"Pandora's Box. A Greek myth. A box given to Pandora on her wedding day. It's said to contain the worst things in the world." Aderyn said.

"It was my favourite story when I was a kid." Amy said.

Aderyn turned quickly to look at Amy "That's a coincidence."

"What is?" River asked.

"You said Romans were your favourite subject in school. And now you're saying that Pandora's Box was your favourite story." Aderyn muttered.

"That's one hell of a coincidence." River said.

"Never ignore coincidence," The Doctor mused "unless you're busy. In which case, always ignore a coincidence."

"So what do we do, Spaceman?" Aderyn said.

"Please don't call me Spaceman," The Doctor speared the torch into the ground and pressed his ear against the Pandorica. He could hear whirring and clicking coming from inside it "It's opening from the inside. Anyone can open it from the outside, but there's layers and layers of security protocol in there. Deadlocks, time stops, matter lines. Whatever is in there is breaking out," he stepped back from the Pandorica "but I'd rather know what's in there before it opens."

"How could Vincent have known about it? He won't even be born for centuries." Amy asked.

"The stones. These stones are great big transmitters, broadcasting a warning to everyone, everywhere, to every time zone. The Pandorica is opening." The Doctor replied quietly.

"Doctor, everyone, everywhere?" River said, a tone of panic in her voice.

"Even poor Vincent heard it, in his dreams. But what's in there? What could justify all this?" The Doctor circled the Pandorica, stopping every now and then to, once again, press his ear against it.

"Doctor, you said everyone." River near shouted. Again, the Doctor missed the point.

"Anything that powerful, I'd know about it. Why don't I know?"

"Oi, Spaceman," Aderyn snapped "you said everyone could hear it. So who else is coming?"

The Doctor stopped in his tracks "Oh." the penny dropped. He turned on the spot.

"Oh? Oh what?" Amy looked around the chamber as if the answer would leap out at her from a darkened corner.

River held the scanner up against the stones. She went stone to stone. She was picking up an alarming amount of signals. The Doctor went along behind her, scanning the stones, trying to get rid of the signal.

"It's basically a transmitter. Stonehenge is sending out a signal to every point in time and space. A signal saying that the Pandorica is opening. Therefore, we're not the only ones that would have decided to pop in for a visit." Aderyn said. She stood back, feeling helpless as the Doctor and River moved around the stones.

"You really do sound like the Doctor sometimes."

"Doctor, I'm getting a lot of signals." River gasped.

"How many is a lot?"

"Ten thousand starships, a hundred thousand, a million. I don't know there are too many."

"What kind of starships?" Amy asked. Her voice shook.

A voice boomed around the chamber. It was an odd disjointed voice.

"Maintaining orbit."

"Doctor, that's a Dalek."Amy quavered.

The Doctor shifted around nervously, tapping the screwdriver against his temple "Yes. Okay, okay, okay, okay. Dalek fleet, minimum twelve thousand battleships, armed to the teeth. Ah! But we've got surprise on our side. They'll never expect four people to attack twelve thousand Dalek battleships. Because we'd be killed instantly," he stopped tapping " So it would be a fairly short surprise. Forget surprise. "

"Doctor, Cyberships." River said quickly.

"No, no Daleks."

"Yes, Dalek ships and Cyberships." River snapped.

" Well, we need to start a fight, turn them on each other. I mean, that's easy. It's the Daleks. They're so cross."

"Sontarans, four fleets." Aderyn said, looking over River's shoulder at the scanner in horror.

"Sontarans! Talk about cross, who stole all their handbags?" the Doctor pointed a threatening finger at River.

"Terileptil. Slitheen, Chelonian, Nestene, Drahvin. Sycorax, Haemogoth, Zygon, Atraxi, Draconian. They're all here for the Pandorica." River lowered the scanner. "Doctor, we're in trouble."


	7. Never Trust A Girl With Pockets

The night sky was filled with a plethora of starships.

"What do we do now?" Aderyn asked, looking up with despair. She could not see how, even the Doctor, could get them out of this mess.

"Everything that ever hated you is coming here tonight. You can't win this. You can't even fight it," River said "Doctor, this once, for this one time, please, you have to run."

"Run where?" He said.

"Fight how?" Aderyn barked at him. He looked at her, a smile flitting briefly across his features.

"The greatest military machine in the history of the universe." he said.

"Ok, I'm confused now." Amy said.

"The Romans." he said with a smile.

Aderyn had decided she really hated horse riding. Although the ride back to the Legion camp seemed blissfully short, she had once again lost sensation in any bare skin by the time they stopped. She had little time to muse on her annoyance, however. As soon as her and River had dismounted, they found themselves surrounded. They were marched into a tent then marched before the Commander. He paced angrily in front of them.

" So. I return to my command after one week and discover we've been playing host to Cleopatra. Who's in Egypt. And dead."

River rolled her eyes "funny how things turn out." She said sarcastically.

"The sky is falling and you make jokes. Who are you?" the Commander stood squarely in front of River, drawing himself up to his full height.

"When you fight Barbarians, what must they think of you?" Aderyn said. He turned to face her "Where do they think you come from?"

He walked in front of Aderyn, once again squaring up "A place more deadly and more powerful and more impatient than their tiny minds can imagine."

Aderyn rolled her eyes and in one fluid movement, drew a gun, pointed it at a cabinet and fired. The cabinet disintegrated.

"Now where do you think I come from? Your world has visitors. You're the Barbarians now." She smirked.

"What was that?"

Aderyn held the gun out so he could see it, but drew her hand back when he reached out for it " A fool would say the work of the Gods, but you've been a soldier too long to believe there are Gods watching over us. There is, however, a man. And tonight he's going to need your help."

A soldier entered the tent and saluted sharply. The Commander glared at Aderyn with suspicion before he followed the soldier.

River, still keeping her eyes on the Commander, leaned closer to Aderyn and whispered "You kept that hidden."

"Never trust a girl with pockets." Aderyn whispered back. They watched as the Commander had a whispered conversation with a Centurion that was just out of their eye line. He turned back and walked moodily towards them "Well," he said "it seems you have a volunteer."

They left the tent and found a group of Centurions assembled, waiting for orders. River and Aderyn walked back to the horses.

"Go back to the Doctor with the Romans. I'm going to get the TARDIS." River told Aderyn.

"Can't I come with you?"

"No, you go back to the Doctor," River said "I don't trust him not to do something stupid. I won't be long, I promise."

"I hate horse riding." Aderyn muttered under her breath as she climbed back onto the horse.


	8. Look At Me, I'm A Target!

Amy watched the Doctor. He had lost much of his usual enthusiasm. He paced restlessly, muttering constantly. She leant against the stones, watching him.

"So what's this got to do with the TARDIS?" she asked him eventually.

"Nothing as far as I know." He said. He stopped pacing and sprinted the short distance across the chamber towards the Pandorica.

"The TARDIS in the painting was exploding. Is that likely to happen?"

"One problem at a time," he said. He knew he couldn't tell her the truth. He couldn't tell her that yes it will. He couldn't bear to say it. If he did, he could no longer deny it. Through time and space, companions have been and gone, his face had changed many times, but the TARDIS had always been there. But for how much longer? He'd pulled shrapnel from one of the cracks and what he'd found had been a piece of the TARDIS, _his_ TARDIS.

Amy cleared her throat loudly, pulling the Doctor from his thoughts.

"There's forcefield technology inside this box. If I can enhance the signal, I could extend it all over Stonehenge," he said, still internally mourning the loss of the TARDIS "Could buy us half an hour."

"What good is half an hour?" Amy asked. The Doctor didn't reply. She walked over to the stone where he'd discarded his jacket. She took a ring box from the inside pocket. He'd thought he'd been able to hid it from her, but she'd seen him looking at it. She opened the box.

"So, are you planning to propose to someone?" She asked casually. He turned to face her "I found this in your pocket."

"No," he said sadly "It's a memory of a friend I lost."

Amy looked down at the ring "I feel...something." she said, an overwhelming feeling of loss struck her. The Doctor walked over to her, taking the hand that held the ring box.

"People fall out of the world sometimes, but they always leave a trace," he lifted her hand, she looked at the ring again "Little things we can't quite account for. Faces in photographs, luggage, half eaten meals, rings. Nothing is ever forgotten, not completely. And if something can be remembered it can be brought back."

Amy cleared her throat "Was she nice, your friend?"

The Doctor closed the ring box, gently taking it from her. "Remember that night you flew away with me?"

"Of course." She replied frowning.

"You asked me why I was taking you and I said no reason. I lied."

"Rule number one," she muttered. She cleared her throat again "So you had a reason?"

"Your house. It's too big, too many empty rooms," he put an hand on her arm "does it ever bother you that your life makes no sense?"

A blast from an energy weapon hit the floor at their feet, kicking up dirt and dust. They dived for cover behind the Pandorica.

"What was that?"

"I need to get a proper look," the Doctor said "I've got to draw it's fire."

"How?" Amy asked.

"I need to give it a target," he said "You know how sometimes I have really brilliant ideas?" she nodded "Sorry." he said. He launched himself from his hiding spot. Waving his arms he shouted "Look at me I'm a target." He narrowly avoided being shot, ducking for cover behind a tall stone. This was very not good, in fact, it was bordering on extremely not very good.

"Cyberarm, arm of Cyberman." he shouted.

"And that's bad yeah?" Amy shouted back.

"Very not good. It's sort of part man part robot. The organic part must have died out years ago. Now the robot part is looking for fresh meat."

"You mean us?"

"It's like being an organ donor, except you're alive and sort of screaming. I need to get round behind it. Could you draw its fire?"

"What like you did?" Amy trilled.

"You'll be fine, just be quick." The Doctor shouted.

Amy ran. As the Cyberarm tracked her movement, the Doctor threw himself at it. He grabbed it and desperately tried to sonic it. It stopped struggling against him.

"I've scrambled it's circuits," he shouted. Amy began to walk towards him. He held up his hand to stop her "Stay where you are, it could be bluffing."

Amy retreated "how can it be bluffing? It's just an arm."

"Stay where you are." he repeated.

A Cyberhead used disconnected wires to pull itself closer to Amy. It lassoed her ankle. She looked down. "Doctor!" she shouted. The Doctor stood up. He found out then that the Cyberarm was indeed bluffing. As he stood, the Cyberarm delivered a powerful electric shock that sent him crashing to the floor.

The Cyberhead pulled Amy to the floor. She rolled onto her back and picked up the head, keeping it at arm's length. She stared in horror as the metal began to fizzle and it split down the middle. The head sprang open and a skull fell out. It snapped open and closed. Amy struggled to keep it away from her. She managed to raise herself onto her knees. She smashed the head against a stone until it released its wiry grip on her. She threw it. Terrified, she watched as it began to pull itself along the ground. In a blink, it fired something at her. She felt it sting as it hit her neck. She pulled the dart out of her neck and tossed it to one side. The chamber span as she stood up. She stared down at the disembodied head.

"You will be assimilated." It told her.

"Yeah? You and what body?" She said, sounding far more confident then she actually felt.

She felt the ground shudder beneath her feet as a one armed, headless Cyberman walked through the chamber. She backed away. The Cyberman picked up the head, easily reattaching it to its body.

"Doctor?" she called. She looked over at him, he was unconscious. She continued to back away. She backed through the doors, ducking quickly behind one. She could hear it getting closer. She heard it stop. It was on the other side of the door. She held her breath.

A sword pierced the door and she heard the fizzing noise of wires short circuiting. Poking her head cautiously around the door she saw a Centurion, still holding the handle of the sword that skewered the Cyberman to the door.

"Who are you?" she asked as she emerged from behind the door. The Centurion removed his helmet.

"Hello, Amy." Rory said. He leapt forward to catch her as she fainted.


	9. Never Underestimate A Celt

Rory gently lowered Amy to the floor. He heard running and a shout behind him "Amy!"

Aderyn was soon next to Rory. She crouched next to Amy, checking her pulse. "She's fine," she said eventually, standing up she clapped Rory on the shoulder. "Nice one Roman." She said, looking at the skewered Cyberman.

"The man is coming round, Sir." One of the soldiers said.

"Amy!" the Doctor shouted, running, somewhat uncoordinatedly, towards them.

"She's fine," Aderyn said to him "She's just knocked out."

"Good, good," the Doctor said. He looked closely at the Cyberman "Why leave a Cyberman on guard?" he said. He turned sharply to Aderyn, who jumped slightly at his sudden movement "Why aren't you with River? I told you to get the TARDIS with her?"

"She told me to come back here. She wanted me to make sure you two were ok," Aderyn looked down at Amy again "Apparently my timing is a bit off."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, knowing it was no good to argue with her as to why it would have been a better idea for her to go with River to the TARDIS.

He looked at Rory "Romans. I was just wishing for Romans. How many?"

"Fifty men up top. Volunteers." Rory said. He still wasn't sure about Aderyn, he could clearly see that the Doctor cared for her, but he had seen her skills with a weapon. She had kept the gun well hidden and he doubted that the Doctor knew she had it. He had already discovered the Doctor's dislike for weapons and, if Aderyn knew the Doctor as well as it appeared she did, she would know too.

"You're hardly a legion," The Doctor said "Aderyn, have a quick look around the chamber. We can't be taken by surprise again." Aderyn walked back into the chamber, putting her hands in her pockets as she went.

"Your friends were very persuasive but it's a tough sell." Rory said. He looked down at Amy again.

"I know that, Rory. I'm not exactly one to miss the obvious," The Doctor walked back into the chamber "Aderyn how are we doing?" Rory heard her shout back that the chamber was clear. Rory followed the Doctor. Aderyn was pacing a large circle around the chamber.

"We need everything we can get," the Doctor was saying. He followed the path around the chamber that Aderyn had taken "The headless wonder was probably a sentry. Probably got duffed up by the locals. Never underestimate a Celt."

Rory smiled to himself. He had almost forgotten how distracted the Doctor could be. "Doctor?" he said eventually. The Doctor, having gone full circle around the chamber, stopped in front of him. "Hush Rory, I'm thinking," he said "Why leave a Cyberman on guard unless there is a Cyberthing in the box, but then why lock up one of their own," The Doctor put a hand on Rory's shoulder, shaking him slightly as he spoke " I'm missing something obvious, Rory. Something big. Something right slap in front of me. I can feel it." he let go of Rory's shoulder. He left the chamber.

"You probably are." Rory said. Aderyn had stopped walking around the chamber. She stood in a corner, watching Rory. He smiled at her. She didn't smile back. "He knows you." she said.

"Yes he does. I travelled with him." Rory said. Aderyn continued to glare at him. The Doctor ran back into the chamber. He stood in front of Rory, his face a mixture of confusion and happiness.

"Hello again," he said "I don't want to be rude. But you died. You died and then you were erased from time. You didn't just die, you were never born."

"Doctor, what's going on?" Aderyn said.

The Doctor looked at her as though he had only just remembered she was there "Aderyn, this is Rory. This man, this Centurion, is Amy's fiancee," he said "But he died."

"Clearly not dead now," Rory said "I died then turned into a Roman. Complete with a head full of Roman stuff."

The ground shook and shuddered. Aderyn looked round. The circular designs on the Pandorica glowed green and turned like cogs.

"Doctor," Aderyn said "It's opening."


	10. Why Here?

River returned to the TARDIS. She hoped Aderyn had got back to the Doctor easily enough, she'd had a group of Romans with her, so she'd be safe for the most part. It wouldn't have taken her long to get to the Doctor. As much as Aderyn hated horse riding, she was good at it. And she could be fast. She just prayed that the Doctor hadn't encountered any issues. As much as River knew the Doctor would have been happier with Aderyn safely in the TARDIS, the safest place for Aderyn was wherever the Doctor was. It was always the way. The Doctor could keep Aderyn safer then she could. Plus, Aderyn was armed. The Doctor may hate weapons, but every now and then something more powerful then a screwdriver was needed.

The TARDIS lurched and convulsed.

"What's the matter with you?" she said. The TARDIS whined. The engines slowly whirred into life, groaning and trembling as it went. It landed noisily and groggily, shuddering ominously.

"Are you ok now?"

The TARDIS whined again. River put a hand on the console. It felt unusually warm. She looked at the scanner. Location: Earth. Date 26/06/2010 it read.

"Why here?" she whispered.


	11. I'm Not Sure History Can Take It

Aderyn looked up at the night sky. It was alive with the buzzing and whizzing of an infinite number of starships.

"Doctor, is there anything you can do? We need more time." Aderyn said. They couldn't go anywhere without the TARDIS, so running was not an option. Besides, whatever was in the Pandorica could bring down the entire universe. The world could end if the Doctor fled. It might not even be whatever was in there that brought about the end, the quarelling aliens could easily ruin everything between them just to get their hands on the Pandorica and whatever it contained.

The Doctor took a communicator out of his pocket.

He leapt onto a stone, looking resolutely upwards "Hello Stonehenge," he shouted "Who takes the Pandorica, takes the universe. But bad news, everyone," he climbed on top of the Altar stone, becoming shrouded in searchlights from the starships "Because guess who? Ha! Listen, you lot, you're all whizzing about. It's really very distracting. Could you all just stay still a minute because I. Am. Talking!" the noise from the ships began to die away "The question of the hour is, who's got the Pandorica? Answer, I do. Next question. Who's coming to take it from me? Come on! Look at me. No plan, no back up, no weapons worth a damn. Oh, and something else. I don't have anything to lose! So, if you're sitting up there in your silly little spaceship, with all your silly little guns, and you've got any plans on taking the Pandorica tonight, just remember who's standing in your way. Remember every black day I ever stopped you, and then, and then, do the smart thing. Let somebody else try first." He threw the communicator into the air theatrically, then failed to catch it. The starships began to vanish from the sky. It started slowly, then all at once, they were gone.

"That should buy us some time," Aderyn said, following the Doctor back down to the chamber "But what do we do?"

"Well, if I can stop whatever is in the box getting out, then they'll go home." The Doctor said.

"But what if you can't?" Aderyn said. He turned to face her, but saw Amy behind her, slowly getting to her feet. He turned to Rory "Rory, I'm sorry, but you have to be brave." Rory frowned at him.

Amy walked up to Aderyn "hey you're back." she said groggily.

"Can't get rid of me that easily." Aderyn smiled at her.

The Doctor walked up to Amy, looking at her closely, checking her pulse.

"Go and get some fresh air and you'll be fine." he said to her.

"Is it safe?" she asked.

"Not remotely," Aderyn replied. Amy smiled at her again, allowing herself to chuckle slightly "But it's fresh."

As Amy made her way passed them, she stopped when she got to Rory "You're the one who did the sword thing. Nice swording. Thanks." She carried on walking. When she was out of earshot Rory turned back to the Doctor "She doesn't even rememebr me." he said quietly.

"Of course not, you were erased from time. You never existed," the Doctor said "The cracks in time are everywhere now. If you get too close to them then you cease to exist."

"Like the clerics and the Angels." Aderyn said quietly.

"Exactly like the clerics and the Angels," He looked sadly at Rory "but you shouldn't be here."

"She doesn't even rememebr me." Rory said again, louder this time.

"Oh shut up," The Doctor said. He fished around in his pocket, then threw the red ring box to Rory, who caught it. "Go get her. The universe is big. It's vast and complicated and ridiculous, and sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles, and that's the theory. Nine hundred years, never seen one yet, but this would do me. Now get upstairs." he smiled.

"She's surrounded by Romans, I'm not sure history can take it." Aderyn said. She didn't really like the idea of Amy being left alone with Rory. The Doctor said Rory was her fiancee but Aderyn was suspicious of his arrival. If he had been erased from time then how could he be here? And why was he a Roman? This just didn't make sense. But the doctor needed to focus on the problem at hand, not the possible relationship between Amy and a dead Centurion. At least with Amy upstairs there would be the Romans to keep an eye on her and Rory would be out of their way, and that meant she and the Doctor could worry about the Pandorica.

Aderyn wrestled her phone out of her pocket, thankful she had the TARDIS on speed dial. She breathed a sigh of relief when River answered quickly.

"Where are you?" she said.

"Oz, you need to stay calm," River told her "but I really need to speak to the Doctor."

"River, are you ok? What's going on?"

"I really need to speak to the Doctor." River repeated, slowly and carefully, trying to sound calm. The last thing she wanted was to cause Aderyn to panic. Aderyn handed the phone over to the Doctor.

"The Tardis, where is it? Hurry up." he shouted.


	12. I'm Flying Her Perfectly

"Don't raise your voice, don't look alarmed, just listen," River said. She paced back and fourth in front of the console scanner. "The Romans that are there right now, they're also here, at Amy's house in a picture book." There was a pause. For a moment River wasn't sure the Doctor was there. For that moment, she feared the worst.

"What are you even doing there?" he said quietly.

"It doesn't matter, the TARDIS went wrong. She's very sluggish. But Doctor, something has been here. There's burn marks in the grass, landing patterns." She heard the shuffle of feet on the other end of the phone, she knew the Doctor had started pacing. She could hear Aderyn in the background questioning the Doctor.

"Something is using Amy's memories. If they've been to her house, they could have used her psychic residue. Structures can hold memories, that's why houses have ghosts. They could've taken a snapshot of Amy's memories. But why?" The Doctor said, his voice scarily calm. River knew he wouldn't be sounding so calm if Aderyn wasn't nearby. Causing Aderyn to panic would not be a good thing. River knew she was armed. And if Aderyn had any reason to distrust the Romans, it would be likely that she'd do something stupid.

"The Romans might think they're real. The perfect disguise. They actually believe their own cover story, right until they're activated." The Doctor said. The periods of his quietness were becoming more frequent and longer.

"Doctor, one of the Centurions, there's a picture of him with Amy,"

She got tired of waiting for him to say something. There needed to be some urgency about him, but there wasn't. "Doctor, this has to be a trap. They used Amy to set up a scenario you'd believe, to get close to you."

* * *

Rory found Amy sat on a stone, looking out across the plains. She had her back to him and was startled when he sat next to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Did the Doctor send you?" Amy rolled her eyes "He fusses. What's your name?"

"Rory." he replied. Amy smiled.

"That's not what you expect Romans to be called. What's it short for? Roranicus?" she laughed.

Rory's face dropped as he saw tears running down her cheeks. "You're crying. What's the matter?"

Amy raised her hand, touching her cheek, surprised to find her fingers came away damp.

"I don't know." she said.

"Amy, please remember, it's me." Rory begged.

* * *

"Why would anyone set up a trap? What is the point in that?" The Doctor's pacing became more frantic. Aderyn watched helplessly, knowing something wasn't right. She just wished he would tell her what was going on, but every time she asked him, he shushed her.

The Doctor heard something in the TARDIS bang loudly "River, what's happening?"

"It's the engines. Doctor, there's something wrong with the TARDIS, something else is controlling her." River said, frantically.

"You're flying her wrong." the Doctor said.

"I'm flying her perfectly." River said, unable to hide her insulted tone.

"where are you?"

"It's the 26th of June, 2010." River shouted over several other loud bangs.

"Get out of there. Go anywhere else, any other time zone. Just get out of there." the Doctor yelled. Aderyn walked quickly beside him, keeping up with his pacing and leaning in, trying to hear what River was saying.

"I can't." River said.

Aderyn ripped the phone from the Doctor's hand "Shut down the TARDIS, shut down everything." she yelled.

"I can't," River yelled back "Oz, keep an eye on Amy."

The Doctor took the phone back, wrapping an arm around Aderyn to stop her trying to get the phone back from him. "Someone else is flying it. An external force. I've lost control." River said to him.

"Listen to me, just land her anywhere. Emergency landing, now. There are cracks in time. I've seen them everywhere, and they're getting wider. The Tardis exploding is what causes them, but we can stop the cracks ever happening if you just land her." he said. He was unaware that Aderyn had stopped struggling against him. She was looking in horror at the Romans that were in the chamber. She had heard a high pitched noise and they had slumped forward, still standing but heads bowed.

"Doctor." she said quietly.

* * *

Amy looked at Rory with confusion and fear "But I've never met you before," she said "Why am I crying?"

"Because you remember me. I came back because you remember me." Rory said.

* * *

A bright white light flooded the chamber. The Doctor let go of Aderyn and his hand dropped to his side. The Pandorica was starting to open, the front face swinging open like doors. Aderyn snatched the phone from the Doctor's grasp "River? Are you okay? What's happening?"

"I've landed." River said.

"Okay, just walk out of the doors. If there's no one inside, the Tardis engines shut down automatically. Just get out." Aderyn yelled desperately.

"I'll be okay, Oz. But keep an eye on Amy, don't let her out of your sight, this is important."

The rest of River's sentence went unheard as Aderyn dropped the phone. The Romans had turned towards them. They were staring blankly ahead. Each of them raised a hand, pointing directly at Aderyn and the Doctor. Their fingers fell away to reveal weapons. "Autons." Aderyn breathed. The Doctor turned to face her. He spotted the Romans.

Rory fought desperately against the battle inside him. His Auton side was begging to be freed. He knew if he let it, he would kill Amy. That was the last thing he wanted to do. "I'm not going. I'm Rory." he shouted desperately.

Aderyn saw the phone lying on the floor. She could just about hear River on the other side.

"I can't open the doors." She heard River say.

She took a step closer to it. If she could just reach the phone then she could tell River to run as far away as possible. The TARDIS was clearly going to be no help on this occasion. As she inched closer to the phone, she slid her hand into her pocket. A cold shiver ran through her body when she found her pocket empty. She was almost grateful that the Autons seemed more concerned with the Doctor's actions then her own. She used the time to slowly and carefully check her pockets. She found what she was looking for. But too late. The Autons had realised what she had been up to. A few of them turned to her, their hands still raised. The Doctor turned to look at her, her eyes darted briefly towards the entrance to the chamber. The Doctor nodded so slightly that Aderyn only just saw it. The Doctor made a sudden movement, a quick jerk as though he were about to run. The Autons turned back to face him. Aderyn made a break for it. An Auton turned towards her, a hand knocked her gun away. She dived, desperately scrambling for it. But she was hindered when the back of her shirt was grabbed and she was pulled to her feet. Lashing out, she tried to break free of the powerful grip that held her. But it was no good. The Doctor made to dash towards her, but he was held back by two Autons, who began to drag him towards the Pandorica.


	13. Run! Run And Don't Look Back

Rory struggled, sweat dripping down his face as he begged Amy "Listen to me. You have to run. You have to get as far away from here as you can. I'm a thing! I'll kill you. Just go! Please, no, I don't want to go."

Amy blinked, suddenly remembering "Williams. Rory Williams from Leadworth. You're my boyfriend. How could I ever forget you?"

"Amy, you've got to run," Rory stammered "I can't fight it. Please, just go. I can't hold on, I'm going."

"You're Rory Williams," Amy said firmly "And You're not going anywhere ever again."

"Plastic Romans. Duplicates, driven by the Nestene Consciousness, eh? Deep cover, but what for? What are you doing? What's in there, eh? What's coming out?" The Doctor spoke constantly as he was walked backwards. He knew if he acted like he could get away, like he had a plan, just another adventure where someone caught up with them before they made a daring escape, then Aderyn may take it a bit easier then if he gave up completely. He couldn't see a way out of this, and that was very not good. It was extremely very not good. Aderyn was still struggling against the Auton that held her, but with no luck. The more she struggled, the tighter the Autons grip became. The most she had been able to do was move herself and the Auton closer to the door. The Doctor watched as her foot kicked out, not in an attempt to escape, but in an attempt to get closer to the gun that still lay on the floor.

Her movements stopped when the Auton that held her spoke "The Pandorica is ready."

Still with his back to the Pandorica, the Doctor had to rely on Aderyn's horrified expressions to guess what was going on behind him.

"Is it open?" he asked her. She nodded. But there was something more to her wide eyes, a fear that was very evident "There's something else as well isn't there?" again she nodded. The Autons turned him around so he was now facing the open box. It wasn't just the open box. He found himself face to face with the new, white Dalek. The Dalek supreme. His stomach knotted.

"You have been scanned, assessed, understood, Doctor." the Dalek said. Two more Daleks beamed in silently behind it. The red and the yellow Daleks had joined it. All three of the new Daleks. Very extremely very not good.

The Doctor straightened himself the best he could. He would not show them fear, he would not show them weakness. He cleared his throat "Scanned? Scanned by what? A box?" he said.

"Your limits and capacities have been extrapolated." the Dalek said.

The Doctor saw light beams appear around the chamber. Moving his head he saw Sontarans, Cybermen, Judoon.

"Doctor?"

"Yes Addy?" he said calmly.

"There's nothing in the Pandorica." Aderyn said.

"Yes I can see that." The Doctor said, again somehow keeping his voice calm.

"The Pandorica is ready." One of the Sontarans said.

"Ready for you." The Dalek said.

The Doctor heard Aderyn struggle against the Auton once again. "You can't do that." she shouted.

"The ring," Amy said suddenly "Remember the ring? You never let me wear it in case I lost it."

"The Doctor gave it to me." Rory gasped.

"Show me," Amy demanded "Show me the ring," Rory gave her the ring box. She put the ring on "There it is. You remember. This is you, and you are staying."

Rory's fingers dropped away, his gun activated "Run!" he shouted. But Amy didn't move. He fought against it, knowing he was loosing the fight. There was a bang and he held her as she gasped for breath, held her close, a single tear escaped as she closed her eyes, cried as he heard her exhale for the last time.

"Look at you all, an Alliance." the Doctor said bitterly.

"The cracks in the skin of the universe." the Dalek said.

"All reality is threatened." the Sontaran said.

"All universes will be deleted," the Cyberleader said stepping forward. "We will save the universe from you! All projections correlate. All evidence concurs. The Doctor will destroy the universe."

"How? How is that possible?" Aderyn demanded. The Cyberleader turned to face her.

"The Pandorica was constructed to ensure the safety of the Alliance."

"The cracks in time are the work of the Doctor. It is confirmed." the White Dalek said. The Doctor looked from one to the other. "No, you're wrong. The cracks are caused by the TARDIS. And I'm not in the TARDIS am I?"

"Only the Doctor can pilot the TARDIS." the Dalek said.

Aderyn scanned the floor for the phone. She located it not far from her. She managed the throw herself to the ground, taking the Auton by surprise and dragging it down with her "River," she shouted at the phone "get out of the TARDIS now!" Aderyn was dragged back to her feet roughly. She stopped fighting.

As the Doctor was once again spun around and walked backwards he saw her face. He saw the acceptance in her eyes. He looked away quickly. He couldn't bear to see that look, knowing he was the one that was causing it. He had always said to her that he would never let anything or anyone hurt her, and now he couldn't do anything. If they put him in the Pandorica, there would be no chance of him being able to save her, he would have no way of keeping her safe, of keeping her alive.

"Please listen to me, total event collapse! Every sun will supernova at every moment in history. The whole universe will never have existed. Please, listen to me!" he shouted as he was dragged backwards. He was put into the Pandorica, thrown unceremoniously into the cold, stone chair, his arms and legs held in place.

"The Tardis is exploding right now and I'm the only one who can stop it!"

"Seal the Pandorica." the Cyberleader demanded.

As the box began to close around him, he had one last look at Aderyn "Run! Run and don't look back." he shouted at her. He watched, his field of vision reducing as the doors closed. He saw her get loose of her captor and run towards the door. He saw the Auton deliver a blow to the back of her head. He struggled against the restraints confining him. His hearts beat out a panicked rhythm as he watched her fall. He knew he wouldn't be able to get free, knew he couldn't save her this time. But still he tried desperately. As the doors closed finally, with a resounding thud, he knew she was lost, doomed to fall away with the rest of the universe. Helpless in his perfect prison, he broke. Of all the people he had travelled with, the people he had dared called friends, she had been the one he'd cared for, adored, even loved the most. And now he had failed her.

River heard the events over the phone as she attached cables to the TARDIS doors, managing to yank them open. When she opened the doors she saw nothing but a blank, brick wall in front of her. The console behind her fizzed and sparked. She looked at the phone, still clutched in her hand, heard Aderyn's voice telling her to run. "I'm sorry, my love." she said as the TARDIS console began to explode.


	14. It's Just You And Me Now, Roman

Aderyn struggled to her feet. Her head was pounding. She grumbled to herself as she tried to recall what she had been doing before being knocked out. It came flooding back when she saw the Pandorica. She walked slowly towards it "My Doctor," she said, she reached out a hand but couldn't bring herself to touch it "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She needed to get out of the chamber, try and figure out where to go, what to do. She knew the TARDIS had exploded, taking River with it. She doubted Amy would have been able to survive. But hope reared its head deep in her heart. Maybe she had, maybe she'd run. She ran from the chamber, the freshness of the night air lifting her spirits. She saw a lone Centurion sat against a stone, his back to her. She had neglected to pick up the gun as she had walked passed it. But then she realised she didn't care. Either it would kill her and she could rest or it could help her. Though what she was meant to do, she had no idea. As she walked quietly towards the Centurion she heard him talking. It was Rory. But who was he talking to? As she got closer she saw the body of Amy, lying across his lap. Hope vanished again. She felt so alone. She walked over to him and sat heavily next to him "It's just you and me now Roman," She said. "Let's tempt fate shall we, can this day get any worse?" she chuckled slightly, but stopped abruptly. "Sorry, it's been a bad day."

"Well it looks like we've both had a bad time recently," Rory said sympathetically "I died, was erased from time, came back as a Roman and shot my fiancee."

"I had another meeting with a publisher that went horribly wrong, got followed home again, was subjected to horse riding in skinny jeans, watched the man that kept me alive put in a prison there's no chance of him escaping from, lost someone I cared for in the TARDIS exploding and got knocked out by a plastic Roman." She looked at Rory. "I should have known something was going to go wrong," Aderyn chuckled "he promised a relaxing trip. But things are never relaxing with the Doctor."

"I found that out," Rory smiled "he took me and Amy to Venice so we could have a romantic break. But we encountered what we thought were vampires but turned out to be weird alien, fish people."

"He took me to a museum, the Delirium Achieves. That was the day I met Amy," Aderyn said "We ended up picking up River Song and getting stuck in the middle of an army of Angels."

"Angels?" Rory frowned

"Not just any Angels, Weeping Angels. They're far scarier then they sound." They both looked up at the night sky, watching helplessly as the stars disappeared.

"It's just us now," Rory said quietly "I always thought that at the end of the world I'd be surrounded by friends and family. Not being sat at Stonehenge, having shot the woman I love with a woman who's name I don't even know."

"Aderyn," she said quietly "My name is Aderyn."


	15. That's My Girl, Sarcastic As Always

"Rory! Aderyn!" an excited voice behind them said. They looked round as the Doctor walked around the stone and stood in front of them. Aderyn almost laughed. He stood before them in a fez and wielding a mop as though it were a weapon.

"Listen," he said to them "she's not dead. Well, she is dead, but it's not the end of the world. Well, it is the end of the world. Actually, it's the end of the universe. Oh, no. Hang on." he vanished.

"Does he ever make sense?" Rory said.

"For him," Aderyn said, Rory could hear the exasperation in her voice "that was sense."

He appeared again, this time without the mop "You need to get me out of the Pandorica."

"But you're not in the Pandorica." Rory said.

"How?" Aderyn said, clapping her hand over Rory's mouth.

"It's easy to open from the outside. Just make sure you put the screwdriver in the top pocket when you're done." The Doctor threw his sonic screwdriver to Aderyn, then vanished.

"Is he in the Pandorica or not?" Rory demanded. He scooped up Amy and followed Aderyn back into the Pandorica chamber.

"Yes and no," Aderyn said "He is at this moment but that was clearly a future him that isn't in the Pandorica. And he isn't in the Pandorica," she pointed the screwdriver at the Pandorica. As it opened she grinned at Rory "Because we let him out."

"How did you do that?" The Doctor asked as he lurched out of the chair.

"You gave me this." Aderyn said, holding up the screwdriver.

"No I didn't," The Doctor said, taking the sonic screwdriver out of his inside pocket. Aderyn held the screwdriver she'd been given close to the Doctor's. They screwdrivers sparked. "Temporal energy. Same screwdriver at different points in its own time stream. Which means it was me who gave it to you. Me from the future. I've got a future. That's nice," he smiled. His smiled faded as he looked around the chamber "That's not good," They turned. The Daleks stood still and quiet."History has collapsed. Whole races have been deleted from existence. These are just like after-images. Echoes. Fossils in time. The footprints of the never-were."

"Meaning?" Rory asked.

"Total event collapse. The universe literally never happened. They've been fossilised," Aderyn said, she looked around the chamber. Romans, Sontarans, Judoon, Daleks, Cybermen, all fossilised "Everything that was in here fossilised. But why not me?" she said.

The Doctor shrugged "I don't know. I'm not complaining though," He smiled at Aderyn, who smiled back "You're alive," he said happily, picking her up and spinning her round. "But where's Amy?"

Rory stepped aside, the Doctor saw Amy, dead on the ground. "I killed her," Rory said. "Doctor, what am I?"

"You're a Nestene duplicate. A lump of plastic with delusions of humanity." The Doctor said quietly.

"I'm Rory now. Doctor, can you do anything?"

"If I had the time." the Doctor shrugged. Aderyn looked at him with horror. Sometimes she really wanted to punch him.

"The time?" Rory shouted.

"All of creation has just been wiped from the sky. Do you know how many lives now never happened? All the people who never lived? Your girlfriend isn't more important than the whole universe." The Doctor squared up to Rory, Aderyn balled her hand into a fist. But Rory beat her to it.

"She is to me!" Rory roared.

As the Doctor stood up again, slightly dazed, he laughed. "Welcome back, Rory Williams! Sorry. Had to be sure. Hell of a gun-arm you're packing there. Right, we need to get her to the Pandorica. And take that look off your plastic face. You're getting married in the morning." he left Rory, open mouthed with shock, and walked towards Amy. He picked her up and, as gently as he could, placed her into the Pandorica.

"So you've got a plan then?" Rory said.

"Bit of a plan, yeah." the Doctor replied.

"A bit of a plan? A bit? Do enlighten us to this bit of a plan and maybe we could have a brainstorming session to help you piece together the rest of it." Aderyn grumbled. The Doctor looked at her, his face as stern as he could muster. It didn't last long "That's my girl, sarcastic as always." Aderyn was taken aback by his joviality at her snide comments. She had been fully expecting him to try and tell her off, not that it ever worked. But her sarcasm, to him, proved she was alive. And right now he needed all the confirmation he could get that she was actually still alive.

"Memories are more powerful than you think, and Amy Pond is not an ordinary girl. Grew up with a time crack in her wall. The universe pouring through her dreams every night. The Nestenes took a memory print of her and got a bit more than they bargained for," he said, turning back to the Pandorica "Like you Rory. Not just your face, but your heart and your soul," he raised his hands and placed them gently on Amy's head. "I'll leave her a message for when she wakes up," he said quietly "so she knows what's happening." He stepped back abruptly, sealing the Pandorica.

"What are you doing?" Rory shouted.

"Saving her," The Doctor said "This box is the ultimate prison. You can't even escape by dying. It forces you to stay alive. She's mostly dead. The Pandorica can stasis-lock her that way. Now, all it needs is a scan of her living DNA and it'll restore her."

"Allow me to find a flaw in your bit of a plan," Aderyn said sarcastically "Where, prey tell, is it going to get a scan of her living DNA?"

"In about two thousand years," The Doctor said triumphantly. He noticed River's bag, which had been left in the chamber. He took the vortex manipulator out of it and slipped it on his wrist.

"She's going to be in there for two thousand years?" Rory said.

"Yes, but we're taking a short cut," he raised his arm, showing them the manipulator "Rubbish way to time travel, but the universe is tiny now."

"So we're just going to leave her here?" Aderyn said.

"She'll be fine. Nothing can get in there." the Doctor said.

"I got in there." Aderyn said, flourishing the sonic screwdriver.

"Yes but there's only one of you. And I don't think there are that many sonic screwdrivers floating around," he offered his arm to Rory "Come on, I'll have to take you one at a time, but we can go to the point where she comes out again."

"So there's a future then?" Rory said.

"A version of it. Not quite the one you know. Earth alone in the sky. Let's go and have a look," he waved his arm at Rory "Just put your hand there and we'll be off."

"No, the box needs a guard. I killed the last one." Rory said.

"Two thousand years, Rory. You won't even sleep. You'd be conscious every second. It would drive you mad." Aderyn said.

Rory considered her. Aderyn had proved to be something of a mystery. She clearly cared about Amy and the Doctor, and she had willingly sat with him, despite the fact he had been the one to kill Amy.

"Will she be safer if I stay? Look me in the eye and tell me she wouldn't be safer." he said to her.

"Well, obviously she'll be safer." she said.

"Then how could I leave her?"

Aderyn smiled at him. "Why do you have to be so human?" the Doctor muttered.

"Because right now I'm not." Rory said. He walked over to where a discarded short sword lay on the floor and picked it up.

"I like this guy." Aderyn said.

"Listen to me. This is the last bit of advice you're going to get in a very long time. You're living plastic, but you're not immortal. I have no idea how long you'll last. And you're not indestructible. Stay away from heat and radio signals when they come along," the Doctor said as he punched coordinates into the manipulator. He extended his arm towards Aderyn "Come along then, Little Bird. Oh and Rory," Rory looked round at him, Aderyn's hand was hovering just above the manipulator "You can't heal, or repair yourself. Any damage is permanent. So, for God's sake, however bored you get, stay out of.." his last words were cut off as he put his hand over Aderyn's, pressing it down on to the manipulator.

Rory sat at the base of the box, settling himself in for the longest stint of guard duty in history.


	16. This Is Where It Gets Complicated

1,894 YEARS LATER

One star had remained, burning brightly. But the rest were gone. In the garden, a red pinwheel spun in the wind. In an upstairs bedroom, a young Amelia had her hands clasped in front of her and her eyes tightly shut as she said her prayers " Dear Santa. Thank you for the dolls and pencils and the fish. It's Easter now, so I hope I don't wake you, but, honest, it is an emergency. There's a crack in my wall. Aunt Sharon says it's just an ordinary crack, but I know it's not, because at night there's voices. So, please, please, could you send someone to fix it, or a policeman, or," she paused as she heard a strange wind whistle. "Back in a moment." she sighed. She peered out of her window, but nothing was amiss. The moon hung in the starless sky and the wind blew the trees, casting gruesome shadows along the garden and across the shed.

She heard her name being called and reluctantly tore herself away from the window.

When she walked into the living room her aunt Sharon was talking to a woman. Amelia knew who the woman was, she was a psychiatrist. She was holding one of Amelia's paintings. A painting of a moon and stars in the night time sky.

"This is a lovely painting Amelia," she said "But what are all these?" she pointed at the crudely painted stars.

"They're stars." Amelia said quietly.

Aunt Sharon sighed "Christine, I am sorry. I've told her a thousand times."

Christine ignored Sharon, she leant closer to Amelia "Tell you what, shall we go outside?"

Outside the breeze was bitterly cold and the night was dark. The lonely moon shone brightly.

"What do you see Amelia?" Christine asked.

"The moon." Amelia replied.

"What else?"

"Just the dark." She said quietly. Christine bent down so she was level with Amelia. She smiled sweetly at her. "But no stars. If there were stars up there, we'd be able to see them, wouldn't we? Amelia, look at me. You know this is all just a story, don't you? You know there's no such thing as stars."

Amelia retreated to the safety of her bedroom, leaving the door open a crack. She heard her aunt and Christine talking. But their voices were nothing more then a dull rumble. She crept quietly into the hall, being careful to avoid the creaky floorboard at the top of the stairs. The ducked away from the top of the stairs as they walked from the kitchen. She sat herself comfortably on the top step, straining to hear what they were saying. She saw a strange figure in a red hat through the frosted glass of the front door. A leaflet was dropped through the letter box and the figure walked away. Checking the coast was clear, she ran quickly down the stairs, picked up the leaflet and ran back to her bedroom. It was a leaflet from the museum advertising their latest exhibition, The Anomaly. The leaflet featured a large box on the front. According to the leaflet, it was called the Pandorica. She read from start to finish. When she turned it over she spotted the handwriting on the back. The message scrawled in red ink read 'Come along, Pond.'

It was easier then she had thought to convince her aunt to take her to the museum. She bristled with anticipation as they made their way into the museum. She had heard about the Pandorica, and now she was going to see it. Someone wanted her there. She had no idea who and no idea why, but it was going to be fun finding out. She ran ahead of aunt Sharon, finding the Pandorica with ease. She pushed her way through the crowd around it. It was a vast stone square, intricate circles and spirals covering the faces. As she went to take a sip of her drink it was ripped from her hand. She looked around, but saw no one. When she looked back at the Pandorica, there was a bright yellow post-it note stuck to the side. The message written on it was in the same red ink and same handwriting as the writing that had been on the leaflet. She leant over the bar surrounding the box, getting a closer look at the post-it. 'Stick around, Pond.' it said.

She heard her aunt call her name as she walked towards the exhibit. She looked around quickly then ran away from the Pandorica, hiding within a display of penguins.

Tucked away in her hiding space, she heard a tannoy asking for her to go reception. She tucked herself into a tighter ball, waiting. When she was certain there was no one else there she left her hiding spot, knocking over several penguins and she clambered out. In the darkness of the closed museum, the Pandorica loomed ominously above her. She ducked under the rail and took the post-it note. She placed her hand flat against the cold stone of the Pandorica. As soon as she touched it, the sides glowed green, the circles spun like cogs. The face opened and a woman looked at her from the seat within the box.

"Okay kid," the woman said "this is where it gets complicated."


	17. Give It Hell Roman Boy!

Amy fell out of the Pandorica, landing on her hands and knees, she gasped for breath.

"Are you alright? Who are you?" Amelia asked, looking down at the woman in front of her. She knew she should probably be scared.

"I'm fine," Amy gasped "I'm meant to rest. Get some rest the Doctor said."

"What Doctor?" Amelia asked, looking around the room, but there was no one there except the two of them.

"He's in here," Amy said, tapping her head "He left me a message like on an answer phone. Right, where am I? National museum, Right?" Amy struggled to her feet. "I was here once when I was little," she looked down at Amelia "Like I said, complicated."

"Who are you?" Amelia asked again.

"It's a long story," she muttered. She looked around the room, finding a display with the history of the Pandorica "A very long story."

She scanned the display. 118AD taken back to Rome under armed guard. 420AD Raided by the Franks. 1120AD Prized possession of the Knights Templar. 1231 Donated to the Vatican. She switched on a small screen next to the display board.

"The Last Centurion, guardian of the Pandorica. According to legend, wherever the Pandorica was taken, throughout its long history, the Centurion would be there, guarding it," the narrator said. Images flashed on screen, pictures from various times and cultures, each showing the Pandorica and a lone Centurion "He appears as an iconic image in the artwork of many cultures, and there are several documented accounts of his appearances, and his warnings to the many who attempted to open the box before its time. His last recorded appearance was during the London blitz in 1941. The warehouse where the Pandorica was stored was destroyed by incendiary bombs, but the box itself was found the next morning, a safe distance from the blaze. There are eyewitness accounts from the night of the fire of a figure in Roman dress, carrying the box from the flames. Since then, there have been no sightings of the Lone Centurion, and many have speculated that if he ever existed, he perished in the fires of that night, performing one last act of devotion to the box he had pledged to protect for nearly two thousand years."

A single tear trailed down Amy's cheek. Rory, her Rory, her Lone Centurion. He'd protected her. Two thousand years he'd waited.

A voice from behind her set a shiver of fear down her spine. "Exterminate!" she turned slowly. A fossilised Dalek, was no longer completely fossilised.

The Doctor and Aderyn appeared in front of them. "Oh dear lord, how does River travel like that?" Aderyn grumbled.

"Ah, two of you," the Doctor said, turning towards the two Ponds "complicated."

"Weapons system restoring." The Dalek behind them said. The Doctor turned, saw the Dalek then turned quickly again, grabbing Amy and Amelia's hand and pulling them along. Aderyn, having remembered to pick up her gun from the Pandorica chamber, drew her weapon. She held it ahead of her, keeping the Dalek within sight. She backed away. The Dalek seemed almost confused, it's head constantly circling, looking for it's target. The Doctor pulled the back of her shirt, dragging her into the Middle Eastern tableaux he had hidden in. He took a fez off a dummy, twirling it in his fingers.

"Why didn't you shoot it?" Amy demanded.

Aderyn tucked the gun back in her pocket, smiling. "If you're going to do something, do it with style. You'll see exactly what I mean in a moment."

They heard footsteps and a voice said "What's going on?" Torch light bounced around the room.

"Dalek!" Aderyn shouted. The Dalek turned to face the newcomer.

"Drop the device!" The Dalek demanded.

"It's not a weapon. Scan it. It's not a weapon, and you don't have the power to waste." Aderyn shouted.

There was a pause then the Dalek said "Scans indicate the intruder is unarmed."

"Give it hell, Roman boy." Aderyn said cheerfully.

"You think I'm unarmed." the man said. Amy, the Doctor and Aderyn peered around the display. The man was a night guard. He raised his hand, the fingers falling away. Rory shot, his aim impecible. The shot hit the Dalek's eyestalk, leaving it blinded and disorientated. Then went quiet and motionless.

"Like I said," Aderyn said "If you're going to do something, do it with style." She pushed Amy out of the display. She ran to Rory, throwing her arms around him before she had stopped moving.


	18. Oh It's All Mouths Today

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. It just happened." Rory stammered.

"Shut up." Amy said. She kissed him.

"Yeah, shut up because we've got to go," The Doctor said. Neither Amy or Rory moved. "and break." Again neither moved.

"You can spare them a minute, Doctor." Aderyn said, pulling him away from them.

"When I say we've got to move, I really mean we've got to move." The Doctor said. A hand tugged on the Doctor's jacket. He looked down at Amelia "I'm thirsty, can I get a drink?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes theatrically "Oh it's all mouths today," he looked over his shoulder at Amy and Rory "literally."

"Doctor, how did the Dalek come back to life?" Aderyn asked.

"The light from the Pandorica," The Doctor said "It must have hit the Dalek."

The Dalek moved. "Out! Everybody out!" Aderyn shouted. Rory and Amy looked round at them, saw the Dalek and headed for the door. The Doctor grabbed Amelia, pulling her along, Aderyn close behind them. They reached the reception and Aderyn slammed the doors behind her. The Doctor found a mop propped up against a wall and ran back to the door.

"That's it," Rory shouted "that's how you looked all those years ago when you gave Aderyn the sonic."

The Doctor looked quizzically at the mop then slammed his hand onto the vortex manipulator. He vanished. He reappeared a few seconds later, slipping the mop through the door handles.

"Right now Rory, you're asking me whether he ever makes sense." Aderyn said.

"And for him, that is sense." Rory responded with a smile.

The Doctor vanished again.

"How did he do that?" Amelia asked, tugging on Aderyn's sleeve "Is he magic?"

"Kind of." Aderyn said.

"Right then," the Doctor said, reappearing. He retrieved his sonic screwdriver from Amy's top pocket. He walked over to Amelia "How did you know to come here?"

She showed him the leaflet and post-it note.

"My hand writing." he said under his breath. He took a leaflet, post-it and red pen from the reception desk. He vanished again. When he reappeared he had the drink Amelia had earlier, the drink someone had snatched from her. He handed it to her.

"What is that?" Amy asked.

"Vortex manipulator, cheap and nasty way to travel. But needs must." The Doctor said, running up he stairs.

"Where are we going?" Aderyn asked him.

"The roof." the Doctor said. Before he could continue his trek up the stairs, another Doctor appeared further up the stairs. He was no longer wearing a fez and his clothes were tattered and smoking. He fell, landing at the Doctor's feet.

"Doctor is that really you?" Rory asked.

"Yes its me, me from the future." The Doctor said quietly. The future Doctor's eyes snapped open, he pushed himself up onto his elbows, whispered frantically to the Doctor then, eyes closed, led down again.

"Is he dead?" Aderyn asked quietly.

"Of course he is," the Doctor stood up straight and made to go up the stairs again "Come on, to the roof. I have twelve minutes."

"Doctor, we can't just leave you here dead." Rory said.

The Doctor stopped, turning menacingly and slowly walking back down the stairs. He stopped in front of Rory "Oh, good. Are you in charge now? So tell me, what are we going to do about Amelia?"

Rory, Amy and Aderyn looked around the empty reception area. "There is no Amelia. From now on, there never was. History is still collapsing. We're all nothing ore than an anomaly now. We're all just hanging on at the eye of the storm. But the eye is closing, and if we don't do something fast, reality will never have happened. Today, just dying is a result. Now, come on!"

They moved quickly, following him up the stairs. As they left the reception area, the Dalek, closed in the Pandorica exhibit, whirred back into life "Restore!" it said.


	19. Go Get Her

Aderyn was the last to climb through the hatchway onto the roof "God I'm so unhealthy." she said, stopping to take deep breaths after the run up the stairs.

"Stop smoking then." the Doctor said, that authoritative, parental tone back in his voice.

Amy looked at the sky "How is it morning already?"

"History is shrinking. Is anybody listening to me? The universe is collapsing. We don't have much time left." he walked over to a satellite dish, using the sonic screwdriver to free it and yank it from its holding.

"Ok firstly Doctor, you should know by now that people do listen, you just confuse them. And secondly, what are you doing?" Aderyn said.

"I'm looking for the TARDIS." he said. He pointed the screwdriver at the dish, scanning the sky.

"But the TARDIS exploded."

"Then I'm looking for an exploding TARDIS." the Doctor said.

"I don't understand. So, the Tardis blew up and took the universe with it. But why would it do that? How?" Amy said. She walked over to where the Doctor was stood, hoping if she saw what he was ding, she may understand.

"Good question for another day. The question for now is, total event collapse means that every star in the universe never happened. Not one single one of them ever shone. So, if all the stars that ever were are gone, then what is that?" the Doctor pointed at the sun. It was large and burnt brightly.

Aderyn raised her hand to shield her eyes "Like you said, you're looking for an exploding TARDIS." she said.

"But that's the sun." Rory said.

"Well, this is the noise," the Doctor pointed the screwdriver at the satellite dish again "that sun is making."

They listened. They heard the familiar whoosh of the TARDIS. But Aderyn was certain she could hear something else, very faint. But then it was gone.

"There's something else, Doctor," Rory said "there's a voice."

They all listened, straining to hear. The Doctor switched between settings on the screwdriver.

"I can't hear anything." Amy whispered.

"trust the plastic." Rory said, tapping his ear.

"I'm sorry, my love."

"Doctor that was River." Aderyn said.

"It must be a recording or something," Amy said "There's no way she could be up there."

"No, it's an emergency protocol." the Doctor said, he put the dish down and wrestled the manipulator off his wrist.

"The TARDIS has sealed off the control room and put her into a time loop to save her. She is right at the heart of the explosion," Aderyn turned desperately to the Doctor "She's still up there Doctor, there has to be something we can do."

He threw the manipulator to Aderyn "Go get her." he smiled.


	20. Hello Sweetie, I'm Home

When River opened the doors she saw nothing but a blank, brick wall in front of her. The console behind her fizzed and sparked. She looked at the phone, still clutched in her hand, heard Aderyn's voice telling her to run. "I'm sorry, my love." she said as the TARDIS console began to explode.

Again she ran to the doors. When she pulled them open she saw a brick wall in front of her. She looked at the phone, still clutched in her hand "I'm sorry my love." She said as the TARDIS console began to explode behind her.

She ran to the doors, but this time her way was blocked by Aderyn, leaning casually against the doors.

"Hello, Sweetie. I'm home." she said.

River looked at her watch with mock irritation "And what time do you call this?"

"The nick of time." Aderyn said. She held out her arm. River put her hand around the manipulator as the TARDIS console began to explode behind them.


	21. Mercy!

When River and Aderyn appeared on the rooftop they were both smiling.

"Amy, Doctor," River said happily "And the plastic Roman."

"Don't worry, he's on our side. Let me explain," Aderyn paused then shook her head "No there is too much, let me sum up. This is Rory, he's Amy's fiancee. He died, got erased from time then came back as a Roman."

"Ok, makes sense," River said. "I have questions. But number one is this, what in the name of sanity," River turned to face the Doctor "Have you got on your head?"

The Doctor straightened his bow tie and tipped the fez so it was at a jaunty angle "It's a fez. I wear a fez now, fezzes are cool." Amy leapt forward, seizing the fez from the Doctor's head. She threw it high into the air. River aimed, keeping the offending hat in sight, and shot it. The fez vanished in a swirl of red tatters.

"Try a beanie hat next time." Aderyn said to him. The comic relief the destruction of the fez had provided soon vanished when they heard the robotic cry of "exterminate!" and the Dalek raised into view over the parapet.

River pushed Aderyn and Amy towards the open hatch. The Doctor raised the satellite dish, using it as a shield as they scrambled back through the hatch.

Keeping her weapon unholstered, River turned this way and that, guarding the group at the bottom of the ladder. The Doctor stayed at the top of the ladder, listening intently.

"Doctor, come on." Aderyn hissed.

He held up his hand to shush her. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently.

"It's moving away, finding another way in. It needs to restore its power before it can attack again. Now, that means we've got exactly four and a half minutes before it's at lethal capacity." he said eventually, dropping easily down the ladder.

"How do you know that?" Rory asked.

The Doctor stopped walking and turned "because that's when it's due to kill me."

"Kill you?" River exclaimed "What do you mean kill you?"

"Oh, shut up," The Doctor replied moodily "Never mind that. How can that Dalek even exist? It was erased from time and then it came back."

"The light from the Pandorica, that's what you said." Amy said.

"It's not actually a light, it's a restoration field," the Doctor called as he ran down the stairs, his voice echoing throughout the museum. "That light brought you back, Amy, restored you, but how could it bring back a Dalek when the Daleks have never existed? When the TARDIS blew up, it caused a total event collapse. A time explosion. And that explosion blasted every atom in every moment of the universe."

Aderyn stopped walking "Can we not run and talk at the same time, this is doing my head in?" The Doctor stopped walking, he turned to face her. He looked as though he were about to say something, but shook his head. "So the explosion destroyed every atom except what was inside the Pandorica. The perfect prison. And inside it, perfectly preserved, a few billion atoms of the universe as it was. In theory, you could extrapolate the whole universe from a single one of them, like cloning a body from a single cell. And we've got the bumper family pack."

Rory opened his mouth, closed it again then shook his head "No, too fast. I'm not getting it."

"That's insane. Doctor, you're being completely ridiculous. The Pandorica partially restored one Dalek. If it can't even reboot a single life form properly, how's it reboot the whole of reality?" Aderyn snapped.

The Doctor rolled his eyes at her "Oh trust you to find a flaw." he said.

"A flaw in what? I'm with Rory on this one. I'm not getting it." Amy said.

"The box contains a memory of the universe, and the light transmits the memory, and that's how we're going to do it. Relight the fire. Reboot the universe,"The Doctor said triumphantly "But what if we give it a moment of infinite power? What if we can transmit the light from the Pandorica to every particle of space and time simultaneously?"

Aderyn frowned at him "Well, that would be lovely, dear, but we can't, because it's completely impossible." she said putting angry emphasis on the last two words.

"I have a plan." he said. He began to walk down the stairs again. Aderyn caught up with him on an upper corridor. She grabbed his arm and spun him round. "I'm fed up with running up and down these stairs," She said "So before you go any further can you please tell me what the plan is? And why it involves running up and down the stairs so much?"

The Doctor looked at her. He stayed silent for a moment before speaking slowly and calmly "My life is about running, you should know that," He smiled at her and was relieved when she smiled back.

"Now come on, lets kick start the second big bang." He was just about to go down the next flight of stairs, when out of nowhere, an energy beam hit the Doctor. He fell to the floor, his clothes smoking. Rory, Amy and River ran down the remaining stairs. Amy pulled Aderyn away from the open door she had been next to.

"Doctor!" Aderyn shouted. She made to run towards him, but Rory held her back. He looked through the door and saw the Dalek. Stepping in front of her, he shot the Dalek. It powered down, apparently dead. He let Aderyn go, but she didn't move. She watched as the Doctor activated the manipulator.

"Where did he go?" River said.

"Downstairs, twelve minutes ago." Aderyn said quietly.

"Lets got then." River said, she turned to run down the stairs.

"River, he died." Amy said. The Dalek whirred back into life "Systems restoring," It said "You will be exterminated."

"Go," Aderyn said "go to the Doctor."

"Aderyn we are not leaving you here. Come on." Amy said, she tugged on Aderyn's sleeve. But Aderyn didn't move. Instead she drew her weapon, her stare fixed on the Dalek.

"You will be exterminated." It said again.

"Oh no, I really don't think so," Aderyn said, her voice dangerously calm "Your systems are still restoring, which means your shield density is compromised. One Alpha Mezon burst through your eyestalk would kill you stone dead." she raised her gun.

"Records show you will show mercy. You are an associate of the Doctor's." The Dalek inched closer to her.

"I'm the little bird with the broken wing. I think you should check your records again." She said. The Dalek paused, then backed away.

"Mercy!" it cried.

"Say it again." Aderyn whispered.

"Mercy!"

"One more time." Aderyn flicked a switch on the side of the gun, charging it instantly to maximum power.

"Mercy." The Dalek backed itself against a wall. Aderyn fired, her shot hitting the Dalek's eyestalk. She glared at it before turning away.

"You're not the only gun toting psychopath round here." She said to River. Aderyn left them stunned as she started to walk down the stairs.

"Aderyn," River said, running after her "That Dalek was scared of you."

"I know." Aderyn said.

"Why?"

Aderyn stopped walking, waiting for them to catch up. She turned to face River as she drew level "I've encountered them before, with the Doctor. Let's just say they didn't like me very much."

When they got down the stairs, they found the Doctor had gone.

"Where did he go?" Amy said, rushing ahead of Aderyn, who kept walking, turning towards the Pandorica exhibit.

"The Doctor said he died. But the Doctor lies." She said bitterly.


	22. Gotcha

Inside the Pandorica exhibition they found the Doctor. They ran to him. He had sat himself in the Pandorica, the vortex manipulator wired into it.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" Aderyn whispered to him.

"Big bang two." the Doctor managed between struggled breaths.

"The big bang. That's the beginning of the universe right?" Rory said. He shifted nervously from foot to foot.

"The big bang two would be the bang that brings us back yeah? Is that what you mean?" Amy said quietly.

"Oh. I understand." River said.

"I don't." Aderyn said. It was a rare moment that Aderyn didn't follow the Doctor's train of thought.

"The TARDIS is still burning. It's exploding at every point in history. If you threw the Pandorica into the explosion, right into the heart of the fire." River explained.

"Then what?" Amy asked.

"Oh I understand now. A restoration field powered by an exploding TARDIS, happening at every moment in history. Oh, that's brilliant. It might even work. He's wired the vortex manipulator to the rest of the box." Aderyn said.

"I still don't get it." Amy said.

Aderyn waved her hand at them, asking them to follow. They walked away from the Pandorica, stopping in the reception "He's going to fly the Pandorica into the heart of the explosion."

"And that would work?" Rory asked.

"Let there be light." River said quietly.

"Then everything would be back to normal?" Amy asked.

"No. Not quite. The Doctor will be the heart of the explosion. So all the cracks in time will close." Aderyn said. She walked slowly back towards the Pandorica.

"River, what does she mean by not quite? What will happen?" Amy said, her voice cracking.

"If this works, and I can't see why it wouldn't, we'll all wake up where we're meant to be and we won't remember any of this." River said. She watched Aderyn walking towards the Pandorica. She felt her heart break at the thought. But she knew it needed to be done.

"River, tell me he comes back, too."

River turned to face Amy "I'm sorry, he'll be at the heart of the explosion, on the wrong side, trapped in the never-space, the void between the worlds. All memory of him will be purged from the universe. He will never have been born."

Amy took a step forward, intending to go back into the exhibition room. But River put out her hand, grabbing Amy's arm to stop her. "Give them a minute to talk." River said.

"Will she be ok?" Rory asked. He watched Aderyn. He could see why Amy liked her. There was something inherently likeable about her.

"No," River said sadly "She wouldn't be alive today without the Doctor. If this works, this will be the last time you see her. Without the Doctor there is no Aderyn."

"Doctor," Aderyn whispered "is there really no other way?"

The Doctor raised his head, leaning back so he could see her "My little bird with the broken wing. You're not broken anymore. You can fly away into the world." his voice was weak and quiet.

"But even a little bird occasionally needs a doctor." She sniffed.

He smiled at her "No. You need to follow the river not the storm."

Aderyn walked back to River, Amy and Rory. Tears had left clean tracks down her cheeks.

"Amy, he wants to talk to you. Time is running out, you better go to him while you still have the chance." she said quietly.

"Are you ok?" Amy asked her.

"Are you?" Aderyn said.

"No."

"Shut up then," Aderyn snapped "You need to go to him. Like I said, time is running out. Reality's collapsing. It's speeding up. If you look in that room you will see that we have very little time left."

Amy, Rory and River peered into the room.

"Where did everything go?" Rory asked. The fossilised Daleks that had been on display were gone. The display stands were empty. There was no answer. When he looked round, he saw that Aderyn was gone.

"Where did she go?" Amy asked, she looked around the reception are then back towards the Pandorica, but there was no sign of her.

"Like she said, it's speeding up," River said "Everything that was in the Pandorica chamber at the moment the Doctor was sealed within it has been erased. Amy, go to him. While there's still time left."

Amy took a step forward, unable to bring herself to step into the room "I'm scared."

"That's good," River said "It's shows you're alive. Scared keeps you fast." She pushed Amy forward.

"River, Aderyn was in the Pandorica chamber when it was sealed. Everything it that room ceased to exist. Except Aderyn. Why? How did she survive that?" Rory said.

River sighed "Spoilers." she said.

"Hi." Amy said.

The Doctor looked up at her and smiled "Amy Pond. The girl who waited all night in your garden. Was it worth it?"

"Shut up of course it was," She replied "But, Doctor, Aderyn is gone."

"I know. She was too close when the Pandorica was sealed. It was only a matter of time. But she'll be back, just like you will be," he paused to take a deep, shaky breath "You asked me why I was taking you with me and I said, no reason. I was lying."

Amy shook her head "It's not important."

"No," he said "it's the most important thing left in the universe. It's one of the reasons I'm doing this. Amy, your house was too big. That big, empty house, and just you. Where were your mum and dad? What happened to them? Where did they go?"

"I don't know. I don't remember." She said, panic evident in her voice.

"It's okay, it's okay. Don't panic, it's not your fault. There was a crack in time in the wall of your bedroom, and it's been eating away at your life for a long time now. Amy Pond, all alone. Another girl who didn't make sense. How could I resist?"

"But how could I just forget?"

"Nothing is ever forgotten, not completely," he whispered "Try and remember your family and they'll be there. That crack in your wall, all that time, the universe pouring into your head. You brought Rory back. You can bring them back, too. You just remember and they'll be there."

"But you won't." she said, failing to keep back the tears.

"You'll have your family. You won't need your imaginary friend anymore." He smiled at her. Amy leaned forward and put the sonic screwdriver in his pocket.

"Doctor, it's speeding up!" River shouted from the door.

The Doctor paid her little attention, staying focused on Amy. "Amy Pond, crying over me. Guess what?"

"What?" she whispered.

"Gotcha."

The Pandorica began to close. River ran forward and pulled Amy back from it as it began to rise.

Inside the Pandorica, the Doctor sent out a message.

River's phone let out a beep. She looked at it "It's a message from the Doctor." she said.

"What does it say?" Amy asked.

"Geronimo"


	23. We're All Stories In The End

The Doctor sat up. He was on the floor of the TARDIS. "Okay. I escaped, then. Brilliant. I love it when I do that," he patted himself down "Legs, yes. Bow tie, cool. I can buy a fez."

"Please don't buy a fez."

The Doctor turned. Aderyn was leaning against the wall of the TARDIS. At least he thought it was Aderyn. She looked different. She was taller and her hair was long, her forearms covered in scars. Considerably more scars.

"Aderyn?"

"Yes. I won't be here for long. There is hope. I just have to make sure you know what you're doing," She said. Her voice was low and mournful "You have to make sure she remembers." All the time she had been stood there, Aderyn never looked at him, instead she was looking fixedly at the TARDIS console. The Doctor stood and followed her line of sight. He saw himself and Amy by the console.

"Lyle beach. The beach is the best. Automatic sand." he was saying to Amy.

"That's last week when we went to Space Florida. I'm rewinding. My time stream unravelling, erasing. Closing." he said.

"You have to make sure she remembers." Aderyn repeated. When he turned to look back at her, she was gone.

His time stream shifted.

He was stood in the middle of a street. He saw Amy ahead of him.

"Ah, three weeks ago, when she put the card in the window," he knew then what Aderyn had been telling him. If she could remember then he could come back, they all could. "Amy, I have to tell you something," he yelled. She looked round towards the sound of his shout, but turned away as though she hadn't seen him. "She can hear me." he mused.

Again, his time stream shifted.

This time he was in a forest. He could see clerics ahead of him and could hear Aderyn shouting about being carried around like a child. He heard his own voice telling her to stop acting like a child and hurry up. He smiled at the memory. River would have picked her up and carried her away from Amy. Aderyn had been so reluctant to leave Amy behind. He waited until he knew Amy was by herself before walking to her.

He put his hand over hers "Amy, you need to start trusting me. It's never been more important." he said.

"But you don't always tell me the truth." she said. He could hear the fear in her voice. He wanted to go and tell himself not to leave her behind, it was too dangerous to leave her behind. But he knew that was stupid.

He put a hand on her cheek "If I always told you the truth, I wouldn't need you to trust me."

"Doctor, the crack in my wall. How can it be here?"

"I don't know yet, but I'm working on it," he rested his forehead against hers "Now, listen. Remember what I told you when you were seven?"

"What did you tell me?"

he wished he could answer her, make it easy and answer. But as Aderyn had said, he had to make sure she remembered. "No, that's not the point. You have to remember." he kissed her forehead and, with great difficulty, he walked away from her.

The final shift, he knew this would be his last chance. He was outside Amy's house, in the garden. A seven year old Amy Pond was asleep in the garden, led on her suitcase. He picked her up and carried her to her bedroom.

He tucked her into bed and sat in the chair next to it.

"It's funny. I thought if you could hear me, I could hang on somehow. Silly me. Silly old Doctor. When you wake up, you'll have a mum and dad, and you won't even remember me. Well, you'll remember me a little. I'll be a story in your head. But that's okay. We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh? Because it was, you know. It was the best. The daft old man who stole a magic box and ran away. Did I ever tell you that I stole it? Well, I borrowed it. I was always going to take it back. Oh, that box. Amy, you'll dream about that box. It'll never leave you. Big and little at the same time. Brand new and ancient, and the bluest blue ever. I took that box and found the little bird with the broken wing. And the times we had, eh? Would have had. Never had. They would have been amazing adventures. You, me and the little bird. Remember the little bird, in your dreams she will be there. When I met her she was so scared. Like a little bird that had been launched into the big, bad world before her time. And so many things that weren't right about her, things that didn't make sense. You'll remember those things, in your dreams they will puzzle you. Between us we'd mend that broken wing, help her fly. You'd have adventures with her, and she would be like the little sister you always wanted. Thanks to her, you'd be alive. She'd give you the confidence to walk through danger. Oh and how she would have slapped me because I upset you. And she'd make sure you found your love. She'd do it with style. She always said, if you're going to do something do it with style. We would have done stuff with style," he looked over at the crack in the wall and sighed "The cracks are closing. But they can't close properly until I'm on the other side. I don't belong here any more. I think I'll skip the rest of the rewind. I hate repeats. Live well. Love Rory. Bye bye, Pond." He pulled the covers up to her shoulders and brushed a stray hair from her face. He straightened his bow tie and stepped through the crack. It closed.

Amelia woke up. She looked around her room, saw nothing out of the ordinary, then went back to sleep.


	24. Raggedy Man And The Little Bird

Sun streamed through the crack in the curtains. It fell across her face. Amy woke up. She looked around her room. There was something not right. As she looked around, her gaze rested briefly on a small doll on her desk. The Raggedy Doctor. And next to that a blue police box. Her gaze continued to travel, resting finally on the open wardrobe door that had a wedding dress hanging on it. She smiled at it. There was a knock on her door and her mother walked in, bearing a breakfast tray.

"Oh my god, you're my mum." she said under her breath. Her mother talked. But Amy wasn't really listening. When she left, Amy got up. Something definitely wasn't right. She sat on the edge of her bed.

"Of course she's my mum. Why is that surprising?" she said to herself. There was something she was forgetting. Something important. Maybe Rory knew. She picked up the phone.

"Do you feel like you've forgotten something really important? Do you feel like there's a great big thing in your head, and you feel like you should remember it, but you can't?" there was a pause.

"Yep." Rory said, but he didn't sound certain.

Amy sighed "Are you just saying yes because you're scared of me?"

"Yep."

Amy smiled "I love you."

"Yep. No I mean I love you too."

She hung up. Something really wasn't right and it was bothering her.

Amy went into the living room, where her dad was fretting over his speech. She smiled at him. He was her little Dad.

The day was filled with final preparations, hair, make up, finalising speeches.

Amy couldn't deny she was happy. Of course she was happy, she was marrying her Rory. But still she felt like something wasn't right.

During the speeches at the reception she let her mind wonder. She realised she wasn't forgetting something she was forgetting someone, someone who should have been there. As her father apologised, saying that he needed a couple of minutes to sort out his speech, Amy looked out of the window and saw a woman walk passed. She was a tall woman with a mane of blonde hair in tight curls.

"Amy?" Rory said "Amy are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." she said quickly.

"You're crying."

She raised her hand to her cheek and was surprised when her fingers came away damp "Why am I doing that? I'm sad. Why am I sad?" she looked down at the table, surprised to see a small book in front of her. It was an old looking book. The cover made of blue leather with eight panels embossed on the front. She picked it up and flipped through it. The pages were blank. "What's this?"

"A present," Rory said "It was left for you by a woman."

"But why?"

Rory looked at her, she really didn't seem right today. It was as though her heart really wasn't in it today. But today, more then any other day, he'd hoped she'd be happy. "You know the old wedding saying. Amy, what's wrong?"

Amy looked around the assembled guests. Everywhere she looked there was something screaming at her, shouting at her to remember. She saw one man wearing a bow tie, another wearing braces. She remembered. Suddenly she remembered.

She stood abruptly, interrupting her father, who had finally tweaked his speech.

"Dad, shut up," she said. The room fell silent, everyone staring at her "Sorry, but shut up, please. There's people missing. Important people. So, so important."

"Amy what is it?" her mum asked.

"When I was a kid, I had an imaginary friend."

"Oh no, not this again." her mum sighed.

"The raggedy Doctor. My raggedy Doctor. But he wasn't imaginary, he was real. And he had a friend."

"Amelia, please. You're just embarrassing yourself." her father pleaded.

"Raggedy Man, I remember you, and you and the Little Bird are late for my wedding." Amy said, her voice a mixture of exasperation and hope. The glasses on the table rattled and the windows shook.

"I found you. I found you in the words, like you knew I would. That's why you told me the story, the story of the little bird with the broken wing in the brand new, ancient blue box." A wind swirled around the hall.

"Oh how very clever." She shouted over the sound of the wind.

Rory stood, putting a hand on her shoulder "Amy, what is it?"

"Something old,"

The tables shook.

"Something new,"

The windows rattled as the wind continued to swirl.

"Something borrowed, something,"

The TARDIS materialized in the middle of the hall.

"Blue."

"How could I forget the Doctor? He was at my stag do." Rory said.

Amy ran around the table, quickly reaching the TARDIS. She knocked politely on the door. It was soon opened by the Doctor, wearing a top hat and tails. He turned his head slightly and shouted back into the TARDIS "See, some people know how to knock as opposed to barging straight in."

From somewhere in the TARDIS, Amy heard Aderyn shout back "It's not like I'm ever going to be interrupting anything."

"Hurry up. Why did you wear those shoes if you can't walk in them?"

Aderyn appeared at the door next to the Doctor. She was wearing a dress that Amy recognised. It was the dress River had been wearing when Amy had first met her. "Because this is a long dress usually worn by someone taller than me. I cannot wear flat shoes with this dress."

"Hello everyone," the Doctor said, walking into the room "I'm Amy's imaginary friend. But I thought we'd come along anyway."


	25. You Always Dance At Weddngs

Amy discovered the Doctor's dancing skills left much to be desired. He waved his arms and moved in a very uncoordinated way. It was funny and embarrassing at the same time. But the children loved him. Aderyn had managed to distance herself from him. But when a slower song came on, she couldn't escape. The Doctor pulled Aderyn into a dance. As they danced they talked.

"Saved the day again, Spaceman." Aderyn said.

"Well, not just the day, the universe," the Doctor said, expertly spinning Aderyn "Human beings, I'll never be done saving you."

"You say that like it's a bad thing. Yet you're always there when the human race is in need." The song ended and Aderyn pulled away from the Doctor, finding a quiet table to sit down at.

"I've put a lot of work into this planet over the years," he sat next to her and smiled at the sight of Amy and Rory, dancing away "Two thousand years. The boy who waited. Good on you."

The party soon became more energetic and Amy pulled Aderyn onto the dance floor. The Doctor had noticed Amy refilling Aderyn's glass every time her drink started to run out, and he highly suspected that Aderyn was very close to being drunk. He smiled at them. It was nice to see Aderyn so happy and making friends. The Doctor had known that Aderyn and Amy would be good friends. He had wanted them to meet when Aderyn was older, but even the seventeen year old Aderyn had attached herself to Amy with ease. And Amy hadn't complained. After they had left Aderyn the first time, Amy had enquired about her frequently, wanting to see her again. But the Doctor knew that he had to let Aderyn find her way, find her wings. He watched them dance and laugh. It was time for him to go. He collected River's diary from where it had been left on the table. He should get it back to her. She would be nearby. He slipped out of the hall, taking a slow walk back to where he'd parked the TARDIS. He felt a bit bad about leaving Aderyn behind, but she was having so much fun. Besides, he knew River would get her home safely.

He'd left the TARDIS in Amy's garden. But now regretted that choice. The night had been damp and he wasn't looking forward to cleaning the mud that he would, no doubt, trail through the console room.

He had just pushed open the TARDIS door when he heard movement behind him. He turned.

"Did you dance?" River asked him "You always dance at weddings."

"Do I?"

"Spoilers." River said. The Doctor handed her the diary and vortex manipulator.

"The writing is back," he said, pointing at the diary "But I didn't peek. Amy has got Aderyn a bit drunk so I thought it best to keep her away from it."

River put the diary into her pocket and slipped the manipulator onto her wrist.

He was just about to go into the TARDIS when he turned back to River "She's having fun so I thought I should leave her to it. But make sure she gets home safely." the Doctor said.

"You know I will."

"Oi, where do you think you're going?" River and the Doctor turned to see Amy marching towards them. Rory and Aderyn were not far behind. Rory had his hand on Aderyn's shoulder and was steering her gently as she swayed towards them.

"We haven't even had a snog in the shrubbery." Amy said, walked pointedly towards the Doctor.

"Hey!" Rory said indignantly.

"Shut up it's my wedding day." Amy said.

Aderyn let out a burst of laughter and put a sympathetic hand on Rory's shoulder.

"Hello, Sweetie," Aderyn said as she drew level with River."Sorry I had to borrow one of your dresses. And a pair of shoes." She took off the red heels she'd been wearing, leaning on River as she wobbled precariously.

River looked her up and down "I don't mind." she said.

"How the hell do you walk in these shoes?" Aderyn said. She seemed steadier now she'd taken off the shoes.

"Practice."

"Did anyone pick up my jacket?" Aderyn said, looking between Amy and Rory hopefully. Rory took her jacket of the shoulder he'd thrown it over. She put it on.

"Right, I take it I'm not getting away by myself then?" The Doctor sighed.

"Nope." Amy said cheerfully.

"Ok then let's go." he said, rolling his eyes and pushing the TARDIS door open fully. Amy ran in behind him, Rory not far behind.

Aderyn started to walk towards the TARDIS, then turned to face River.

"Oh I almost forgot," she rummaged through her jacket pockets. She eventually found what she was looking for. It was a gold ring on a thin gold chain "You dropped this." She handed it to River. River closed her hand around the ring.

"Thank-you."

"Aderyn are you coming or not?" The Doctor called.

Aderyn turned for a second "Yeah I'll just be a minute." she turned to face River again "Are you married, River? I only ask because that looks like a wedding ring."

"Yes I am." River said sadly.

"Oh," Aderyn turned once again towards the TARDIS. Just as she reached the door she turned back "Who are you really?"

River didn't even attempt to smile as she replied "Spoilers. You're going to find out soon. And I'm sorry but that's when everything starts to change."

Before Aderyn could reply, River vanished.

Amy stuck her head out of the TARDIS door "Hey Little Bird, are you coming?"

"Yeah. I'm coming now." She said quietly as she turned and walked into the TARDIS.


End file.
